Workplace Culture that Hinders and Assists
the Career Development of
Women in Information Technology
Rose Mary Wentling
Steven Thomas
This study examines both the positive and negative roles that workplace culture plays in the
career development of women in information technology (IT). The literature has described the
IT workplace culture as having certain characteristics that are unique to the industry and
unique to White male culture. The IT culture has been described as largely White, male
dominated, anti-social, individualistic, and competitive. Although many of these workplace
culture characteristics were supported by this study, it was the collaborative and teamwork
oriented aspect of their workplace environment and working together on projects and building
close relationships with colleagues that benefited the study participants the most in their career
development. If organizations want to attract and retain talented women into their IT
workforce, they must have an understanding of both the positive and negative workplace
culture characteristics that affect women’s career development in IT.
Introduction
The U.S. Department of Labor projects that by
2014, not only will over 50% of all U.S. workers
be women, but also 50% of the U.S. workforce
will be employed by industries that are engaged
in producing or using information technology (IT)
products and services (U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 2006). There continues to be
tremendous growth potential for the application of
IT to many domains of business and government
(National Center for Women & Information
Technology [NCWIT], 2007). This growth
potential is demonstrated by the fact that there
are now more IT jobs in the United States than
ever before, and the fact that the U.S. government
forecasts that some IT jobs will be the fastestgrowing over the coming decade (U.S.
Department of Commerce, 2006; NCWIT, 2007).
The employment forecasts by the U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics for 2004-2014 projection data
suggests, growth in IT jobs is anticipated to
intensify throughout the United States (2005).
There is an escalating demand for technologybased workers and it is estimated that as many as
20 million new high skill/high wage jobs across
the U.S. economy to the year 2020 (Info Tech
Employment, 2008).
Information technology is a phenomenon with
deep implications for our country‖s
competitiveness, culture, politics, economic well
being, and quality of life (Bollier, 2005; NCWIT,
2007). Given that IT pervades our work,
education, health, entertainment, and safety, it is
essential that women participate in innovating and
advancing the IT field (NCWIT, 2007). Women
currently hold 56 percent of professional
positions in the U.S. workforce. The U.S.
Department of Labor Statistics (2004) predicts
that women will account for more than half the
increase in total labor force growth between 2004
Rose MaryWentling is Professor, Human Behavior in
Engineering, Department of General Engineering,
University of Illinois, Champaign, Illinois and
Senior Research Scientist for the National Center for
Supercomputing Applications, Urbana, Illinois.
Steven Thomas is Organization Development
Consultant, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda,
Maryland.
Information Technology, Learning, and Performance Journal, Vol. 25, No. 1
25
26
and 2014, and that 3 of the 10 fastest-growing
occupations between 2004 and 2014 are
computing-related. However, women only hold
27% of professional computing-related positions.
There is a vast pool of untapped talent in the
United States among women, and this must be
addressed in order to ensure our workforce is
prepared to meet the employment demands of the
future and make positive contributions (Bartol &
Aspray, 2006; Halweg, 2002). Appropriate
management of a diverse workforce is critical for
organizations that seek to improve and maintain
their competitive advantage (McLean, 2003;
National Science Foundation, 2004; Society of
Human Resource Management, 2005).
Despite significant growth in the IT profession
in recent years, there remains a gender
imbalance. The pipeline shrinkage problem for
women in computer science is a well known and
documented phenomenon where the ratio of
women to men involved in computing shrinks
dramatically from early student years to working
years (Bartol & Aspray, 2006; Gürer & Camp,
2002; Kohlstedt, 2006; Taylor, 2002). A study
released by the Information Technology
Association of America (ITAA) (2003) found that
racial minorities and women have made few
inroads into high tech employment. Information
technology workers are predominantly White and
male (National Research Council, 2001), and
women and minorities earn significantly fewer
undergraduate degrees in computer science and
engineering than their representation in the U.S.
population (ITAA, 2003). In 2004, 29% of
computer scientists were female, 4% were female
and African American, 2% were female and
Asian, and 1% were female and Hispanic (U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2006). In 2006, 59%
of undergraduate degree recipients were women,
while only 21% of computing and information
sciences undergraduate degree recipients were
women. In addition, only 14% of computer
science undergraduate degree recipients at major
research universities were women, and only 1.1%
of undergraduate women choose IT-related
disciplines as compared to 3.3% of male
undergraduates (National Center for Education
Statistics [NCES], 2006).
Wentling & Thomas
While there are some women achieving
success in the IT field, they appear to be the
exceptions rather than the rule (Molina, 2002).
Women‖s participation in computer-related
occupations is low overall, and it decreases as
women climb the corporate ladder. Women in
leadership positions within IT are sparse,
comprising 13% of board members and executive
officers at the top 100 Fortune 500 IT companies
(Catalyst, 2007). There is no question that the
ratio of men to women in the high technology
fields shows an obvious gender gap. In a world
where there are too few skilled people to fill a
large number of positions, we must be able to tap
the entire population, both men and women
(Lyons & Williams, 2002; NCWIT, 2006).
Many efforts have been made to recruit and
retain more women into IT (Chapple & Saxenian,
2001; Cohoon & Aspray, 2006; MacLachan,
2006; Seymour & Hewitt, 1997; Tapia & Kvasny,
2004). These efforts have been driven mainly by
the need for a more highly skilled technical
workforce and an awareness of corporations that
diversity assists competitiveness (Society of
Human Resource Management, 2005). According
to Florida and Gates (2001),
Building a vibrant technology-based
region requires more than just investing
in R&D, supporting entrepreneurship,
and generating venture capital. It
requires creating lifestyle options that
attract talented people, and supporting
diversity and low entry barriers to human
capital ... Diversity of human capital is a
key component of the ability to attract
and retain a high technology industry.
Talent powers economic growth, and
diversity and openness attract talent
(p. 7).
The gap of women in the IT fields results in a
male-dominated perspective in the development
and design of technology. Women bring a
different life experience and a different
perspective to the innovation process, and
diversity in innovation leads to the design of
products and services that benefit a broader
Workplace Learning Culture That Hinders and Assists Career Development
range of consumers as well as business
organizations.
Women‖s absence in IT represents a loss of
opportunities for corporations and individuals, as
well as a loss of talent and creativity for the
workforce. Diverse participation encourages
creativity, stability, and resilience. Enlisting a
broad range of minds and backgrounds in the
design of IT yields products and services that
benefit society as a whole (NCWIT, 2006).
Serious consequences occur not only to women‖s
overall potential, which is not fully realized, but
also to the world‖s economy that might have been
shaped differently with more involvement from
women in the area of technology. The
consequences for the U.S. economy are
significant, since the shortage of technology
workers may cost as much as 4 billion dollars per
year in lost production for the United States
(Valuing Diversity, 2005). More than ever before,
women have a critical place in replenishing the
shortage of IT workers.
Despite the shortage of IT professionals and
the benefits of human diversity in the global
economy, women are largely underrepresented in
the IT workforce (Information Technology
Association of America, 2003, 2005). Prior
employment research on gender stratification
demonstrates that this under representation in IT
is a reflection of organizational and social
structures, rather than essentialist generalizations
about gender group characteristics (Bartol,
Williamson, & Langa, 2006; Trauth,
Quesenberry, & Morgan, 2004). As a result, it is
necessary to understand the characteristics of the
IT workplace culture, and in particular, workplace
environmental factors that hinder and assist the
career development of women in IT. Workplace
culture refers to the deep structure of
organizations, which is rooted in the values,
beliefs, attitudes, practices, norms, customs, and
assumptions held by organizational members and
that characterize a workplace environment
(Denison, 1996; McLean, 2003). IT computing
culture has been described as having certain
characteristics that are unique to the industry and
unique to white male culture. The IT culture is
described as largely White, male-dominated, antisocial, individualistic, competitive, all
27
encompassing and non physical. This culture has
the potential to exclude women and minorities if
they do not conform (Glastonbury & Lamendola,
1993; Roldan, Soe, & Yakura, 2004; Trauth,
Quesenberry, Yeo, 2008; von Hellens, Nielsen,
Trauth, 2001; Wajcman, 2006). Lemons and
Parzinger (2001) found that poor advancement
opportunities for women in IT were due to
corporate culture issues and gender socialization.
Lemons and Parzinger (2001) stated that “a
willingness to accept a diversity of skills is the
single factor that can promote women‖s success”
(p. 7).
Prior research on women‖s perceptions of IT
education and work indicate not only considerable
uncertainty about what the IT work consists of
and what skills are needed to succeed as an IT
professional, but also that the IT work
environment is perceived as difficult, boring,
unattractive, and solitary in nature, requiring little
interaction with fellow workers or customers
(Ahuja, 2002; Nielsen, von Hellens, & Wong,
2000; von Hellens, Nielsen, & Beekhuyzen,
2004;Weinberger, 2003). Tapia and Kvasny
(2004) conducted a literature review and found
that women perceive the IT workplace negatively
and one lacking the equality they require in a job.
They framed the work as difficult, isolated,
lacking necessary social interaction, and lacking
work-family balance. In addition, they had a
common perception that the IT industry is a male
and a stereotypical “geek and nerd” domain. In
their IT review essay, Soe and Yakura (2008)
noted that organizational culture and climate can
significantly affect women‖s participation and
employment outcomes. They suggested that the
larger percentage of men rather than women
being hired and promoted in IT organizations
leads to perceptions that the organizational
climate is unfriendly towards women. Bartol and
Aspray (2006) noted that women perceive the IT
workplace environment as male dominated and
not welcoming to women. McCracken (2000)
reported that women tend to leave a company if
they find the male dominated culture
dissatisfying.
A study by Wardell, Sawyer, Reagor, and
Mitory (2005) found that women are nearly three
times as likely as men to leave the IT workforce.
28
Their findings showed that although women are
able to gain the necessary skills to enter the IT
workforce, they are more likely than their male
counterparts to leave the IT industry. The
literature has identified cultural fit, expectation
gaps, mentors, role models, career satisfaction,
organizational commitment, role ambiguity, and
role conflict as pertinent factors that affect the
retention of women in the IT workforce (Bartol,
Williamson, & Langa, 2006; Riemenschneider,
Armstrong, Allen, & Reid, 2006; Tapia &
Kvasny, 2004). Igbaria and Greenhaus (1992)
reported that job satisfaction and organizational
commitment are the most direct influences on
turnover intentions among IT professionals. They
stress that high levels of career satisfaction
enhance organizational commitment, since
employees who are satisfied with their careers
perceive greater benefits in retaining membership
in their organizations than employees whose
careers have been less gratifying. Bartol et al.
(2006) found that female IT student graduates
have a lower professional commitment than do
male IT students. Furthermore, they found that
gender and professional experience interact to
influence professional commitment, and
professional commitment is lowest among female
newcomer IT professionals. Job satisfaction has
been linked to a higher organizational
commitment and lower intentions to leave the
organization (Bartol & Martin, 1982). Evidence
also indicates that job satisfaction is associated
with professional commitment (Bartol et al.,
2006; Blau, 2003). Career satisfaction refers to
the extent of an individual‖s affective orientations
toward his or her career (Jiang & Klein, 2000).
Interest in career satisfaction is intensified by the
behavioral outcomes of career satisfaction, such
as commitment and intention to leave. Included
among the organizational features that increase
career satisfaction are advancement opportunities,
enjoyable job related tasks, and supportive work
environment (Hsu, Chen, Jiang, & Klein, 2003;
Igbaria & Greenhaus, 1992; Sumner &
Niederman, 2002).
The underrepresentation of women in the IT
workforce continues to grow and appears to be
compounded by poor retention statistics
(Quesenberry, 2006). Researchers and scientists
Wentling & Thomas
agree that systematic research efforts are needed
to address the gender imbalance and underrepresentation of women in IT. A documented
need to study the gender imbalance in this field
exists; this topic is both understudied and
undertheorized (Cohoon & Aspray, 2006; Camp,
1997; Haynes, 2005; National Science
Foundation, 2001; Nelson-Porter, 2004; Trauth,
2002). While the timing for increasing women‖s
participation in IT fields appears propitious, the
literature, as shown earlier, indicates that the
supply of women in IT is alarmingly low. The
research literature (Carayon, Hoonakker,
Marchand, & Schwartz, 2003; Quesenberry,
2006; Tapia, 2003; Teague, 2002; Trauth,
Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2008; Weinberger, 2003)
suggests that workplace culture can significantly
affect women‖s participation and employment
outcomes. It seems reasonable to consider that
some features of the male-dominated IT
workplace culture would impact the career
development of women in IT. This study
examines the workplace culture that hinders and
assists the career development of women in IT.
Research questions
The following research questions guided this
study:
1. What is the current workplace culture for
women in IT?
2. What workplace culture characteristics have
hindered the career development of women in
IT?
3. What workplace culture characteristics have
assisted the career development of women in
IT?
4. How satisfied are women in IT with their
career development?
Conceptual Framework
According to Miles and Huberman (1994), a
conceptual framework explains the main
dimensions to be studied, the key factors or
variables, and the presumed relationship among
them. The purpose of this study is to examine the
workplace culture characteristics that hinder and
Workplace Learning Culture That Hinders and Assists Career Development
assist the career development of women in IT.
Given the focus on workplace culture, it was
appropriate to use social construction as the
conceptual framework for the study. The term
social construction was first introduced by Berger
and Luckmann (1966) in their book The Social
Construction of Reality. Central to social
construction is the notion that social systems are
based on actors who interact over time, eventually
developing habitualized norms and roles. As these
interactions become institutionalized, meaning
becomes embedded in individuals and society.
Knowledge and one‖s conception of, and
therefore belief regarding the nature of reality
becomes embedded into the institutional fabric
and structure of society, and social reality is said
to be socially constructed. In brief, a social
construction is any institutionalized entity or
artifact in a social system invented or constructed
by participants in a particular culture or society
that exists because people agree to behave as if it
exists or follow certain conventional rules (Berger
& Luckmann, 1996).
Social construction stands in contrast to
essentialism, realism, and naturalist perspectives,
emphasizing historical and cultural specificity of
knowledge while focusing on interaction and
social practices (Burr, 1995; Trauth,
Quesenberry, & Yeo, 2008). Overall, social
construction has played an important role in the
study of technology, IT, and the relationship
between gender and technology (Baker &
Shapiro, 2003; Morgan, Quesenberry, & Trauth,
2004; Spender, 1997; Trauth, Quesenberry, &
Yeo, 2008; Wajcman, 2006; Walby, 2002).
Marini (1990) states that the influences of societal
factors, rather than biological forces, are the
primary constructs that shape individuals and
their relationships with technology. As a result, a
social construction perspective asserts that there
are no universally male or female qualities, but
rather emphasizes that within the IT field certain
cultural characteristics are gathered on the basis
of gender. In this sense, the IT workplace is
deemed a male domain (Trauth, Quesenberry, &
Yeo, 2008). The social construction conceptual
framework used in this study assisted in
developing the research questions, guiding the
study, and analyzing the data. The conceptual
29
framework also aided in compartmentalizing or
binning the data for purposes of analysis
(Merriam, 1998; Miles & Huberman, 1994). The
framework was not used for developing or testing
theories.
Methodology
This study utilized a qualitative design to provide
a comprehensive understanding of the workplace
culture that hinders and assists the career
development of women in IT. This study used
semi-structured interviews. Interviewing is the
most common qualitative method practiced in
organizational research (Lee, 1999). The major
research method for this study was in-depth,
semi-structured telephone interviews with a group
of twenty-five women in positions in IT from
across the United States. An interview guide was
developed to obtain detailed information. This
strategy was used because it allows for rich data,
thorough responses, probing, and clarification of
meanings (Merriam, 1998).
A pilot study was conducted with five women
in IT to determine content validity and the
appropriateness of the interview guide and study
procedures. The women who participated in the
pilot study were later included as part of the
study. The pilot study results indicated that the
interview guide questions were appropriately
focused, met the objectives of the study, and
could be completed in the time estimated, one to
two hours, with an average of one and a half
hours. Minor revisions were made to the interview
guide based on the results of the pilot study.
A sample of 25 women in positions in IT was
selected from the National Center for
Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) Fortune
500 Industrial Partners list. The Industrial
Partners Program list included 35 Fortune 500
companies. These companies were selected for
this study because they had women in positions in
IT, and they were accessible to the researchers.
NCSA is a unit of the University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign and is dedicated to advancing
leading edge technologies in IT and high
performance computing and communications in
academia and industry. NCSA‖s mission with the
Fortune 500 Industrial Partners is to help them
30
become more competitive in the global
marketplace. In return, the Industrial Partners
bring their business leadership and their
challenging problems to NCSA and provide
money to help solve these problems. A master list
of 35 women in IT from the NCSA Industrial
Partners Program list was developed with the
assistance of the Director of the NCSA Industrial
Partners Program. From the master list, a
convenience sample of 25 women in IT was
randomly selected to participate in the study.
Participants were selected based on their
willingness to take part in the study. All the
women initially contacted agreed to participate in
the study. Study participants were assured that
the information they provided would be kept
strictly confidential, and no comments would be
attributed directly to them or their company.
Each participant was offered an honorarium of
$200. Only 5 of the 25 participants accepted the
honorarium.
Data were analyzed using basic descriptive
statistics and a multistep content analysis
methodology. To increase the validity of the
findings, an interview transcript and summary
were prepared and sent to four of the
participants, who confirmed that the transcript
and interpretation of the data were accurate. This
method of checking with participants was used as
an additional step to ensure the validity of the
data collected. Both researchers independently
analyzed the data to check for validity and
reliability of the emergent themes, categories, and
rankings. The researchers also used a peer
examination strategy in which a research associate
with expertise in qualitative data analysis was
asked for comments as items were coded,
categories were defined, and findings were
developed (Gall, Borg, & Gall, 1996). The
research associate independently reviewed the
overarching content themes in addition to the
statements taken from the individual interview
transcripts to determine the appropriate
categorical placement for each. The analyses and
ratings from all the researchers matched well.
Wentling & Thomas
Profiles of Study Participants
Twenty-five women in IT, each from a different
Fortune 500 company, were interviewed. The
women worked in industrial corporations whose
annual revenues and assets ranged from $5.727
billion to $246.525 billion and $3.328 billion to
$370.782 billion, respectively. The number of
employees in the 25 companies ranged from
17,611 to 1,300,000, with an average of
145,751 employees. The study participants are
employed in a variety of industries. The types of
industries in which the study participants are
employed included: computer and office
equipment, 4 (16%); pharmaceuticals, 4 (16%);
household and personal products, 3 (12%);
aerospace and defense, 2 (8%); chemicals, 2
(8%); general merchandisers, 2 (8%);
wholesalers, healthcare, 2 (8%); and others 6
(24%). The companies in which the study
participants are employed are located throughout
the United States.
The position titles that the study participants
held in the IT field ranged from computer analyst
to chief information officer. The study participants
ranged in age from 26 to 55 years, with an
average of 38.3 years. Eighteen (72%) of the
study participants were married, and 7 (38%)
were single. The ethnic origin of all the study
participants includes 23 (92%) White and 2 (8%)
African American. Sixteen (64%) of the study
participants had children, and 9 (36%) did not
have children.
All the participants had earned bachelor‖s
degrees. The participants‖ major fields of study
included: computer science, 6 (24%);
engineering, 6 (24%); mathematics, 5 (20%);
business (e.g., management, business
administration, economics), 5 (20%); music, 2
(8%); psychology, 1 (4%); science, 1 (4%);
dance, 1 (4%); and political science, 1 (4%). Of
the 25 study participants, 10 (40%) have also
earned master‖s degrees, and 1 (4%) has earned
a Ph.D.
Results
The results of this study are summarized in four
sections that parallel the research questions: (a)
Workplace Learning Culture That Hinders and Assists Career Development
current workplace culture of women in IT, (b)
workplace culture characteristics that have
hindered the development of women in IT, (c)
workplace culture characteristics that have
assisted the development of women in IT, and (d)
satisfaction with career development.
Research Question One: Current
Workplace Culture of Women in
Information Technology
The study participants were asked to describe
their current workplace culture and environment.
Table 1 displays the characteristics that were
used by the study participants to describe their
current workplace culture and environment. The
10 workplace culture characteristics most
frequently mentioned by the participants included
the following: male dominated (“good old boy”
culture), 20 (80%); results driven culture, 14
(56%); teamwork oriented, 14 (56%), high
accountability, 12 (48%); diversity not valued, 10
(40%); very competitive, 10 (40%); challenging,
9 (36%); fast paced, 8 (32%); intellectual, logical
thinking, 7 (28%); and problem solving focus, 7
(28%). The findings on Table 1 show that the
workplace culture characteristics identified by the
study participants have both positive and negative
aspects.
Research Question Two: Workplace
Culture Characteristics that have
Hindered the Development of Women in
Information Technology
In addition, the study participants were asked
what aspects of their workplace culture and
environment had hindered their development.
The seven workplace culture characteristics that
were mentioned by the study participants that
hindered their development included: male
dominated (good old boy culture), 20 (80%); very
competitive, 15 (60%); diversity not valued, 12
(48%); very conservative, 9 (36%);
nonconsensus, 5 (20%); exclusive (not all people
treated the same, some made to feel like
outsiders), 5 (20%); and hostile/threatening, 4
(16%). See Table 2.
31
The participants who cited the maledominated (good old boy culture) aspect of their
workplace culture indicated that the good old boy
network made it difficult for them to feel
accepted. Many times they felt like outsiders, and
this feeling sometimes had an impact on their selfconfidence. They felt that getting accepted and
becoming part of the good old boy‖s network was
difficult to do. They also noted that not being part
of this network often created inhibitors to career
opportunities. Often this exclusion had a
detrimental impact on their self-confidence.
Several of the participants reported intimidation
by male colleagues as having a negative impact on
their career development. They reported
instances where derogatory comments and
intimidation were used by men to obtain work
assignments or special projects. These women felt
Table 1. Workplace Culture Characteristics of
Study Participants’ Current Companies (n= 25)
Characteristic
Male dominated (good old boy
culture)
Results driven culture
Teamwork oriented
High accountability
Diversity not valued
Very Competitive
Challenging
Fast-paced
Intellectual, logical thinking
Problem solving focus
Entrepreneurial
Very conservative
Recognize excellence/contributions
Employee/people oriented
Customer oriented
Exclusive (not all people treated
the same, some made to feel
like outsiders)
Open communication
Hostile/threatening
Non-consensus
Collegial
High integrity
Collaborative
Supportive/caring
Non-conflict environment
Low on risk taking
Empowering
Bureaucratic
Note. Multiple responses were accepted.
f
%
18
14
14
12
10
10
9
8
7
7
6
6
6
6
5
72
56
56
48
40
40
36
32
28
28
24
24
24
24
20
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
1
1
1
1
20
20
16
16
16
12
12
12
4
4
4
4
32
Wentling & Thomas
Table 2. Workplace Culture Characteristics that
Hindered Study Participants’ Development
Characteristic
Male dominated (good
old boy culture)
Very competitive
Diversity not valued
Very conservative
Non-consensus decisionmaking
Exclusive (not all people
treated the same, some
made to feel like outsiders)
Hostile/threatening
f
%
16
15
12
9
64
60
4
36
5
20
5
4
20
16
NOTE. Multiple responses were accepted.
extremely threatened and devalued in these
environments and moved quickly to leave such
hostile surroundings. One study participant said,
This company that I worked for just had
a very threatening work environment for
the women that worked there. I had so
many incidents that were just outrageous,
almost every month something ridiculous
would happen. It was a really tough
place for me to work at as a woman, and
fortunately another company recruited
me and I was able to find another
position and leave that company.
The participants also indicated that female
role models and mentors were difficult to find in
Note. Multiple responses were accepted.
the IT field because it is mostly male dominated.
They felt that having female role models to look
up to and having the opportunity to talk and share
experiences was important for building selfconfidence. These participants were often made
to feel like outsiders or were intimidated by male
colleagues, which hindered their career
development. Another study participant
explained:
There have been several times when I
have had male colleagues come up to me
and say in a spiteful way that they want
my job or that they are going to take my
project away from me. This type of thing
has happened to me throughout my entire
career and I know that other women have
had similar experiences. Most of the time
I don‖t let it bother me, but sometimes it
bothers me and I feel very uncomfortable
and it can be very hurtful.
The study participants also indicated that the
large number of males in the organization made it
difficult for females in the organization, especially
those with family, to get sympathy for their
particular challenges. They also reported that
intimidation by male colleagues sometimes
created problems and friction that hindered them.
The participants who identified a very
competitive environment as hindering their
development indicated that there were few high
level positions available, and many talented or
competent people within the organization who
wanted these positions, which sometimes made it
difficult for them to get promoted in a timely
manner.
The study participants who indicated that
diversity was not valued in their workplace
environment stated that their companies‖ culture
valued similarities and sameness. Many times this
created difficulties and hindered their career
development because their personalities and
values did not match this type of culture.
The participants who identified nonconsensus
decision making in the workplace as hindering
their development indicated that organizational
decisions that affected them, for example, work
schedules, equipment purchases, and research
and development policies, were often made
without a clear structure or consensus approach.
Their input was not often requested. They were
frequently excluded in the decision making
process, and those making the decisions were not
aware of their needs. Nonconsensus decision
making sometimes resulted in their not knowing
when a decision had actually been reached.
Research Question Three: Workplace
Culture Characteristics that have
Assisted the Development of Women in
Information Technology
The study participants were also asked what
aspects of their workplace culture and
Workplace Learning Culture That Hinders and Assists Career Development
Table 3. Workplace Culture Characteristics that
Assisted Study Participants’ Development (n= 25)
Characteristic
f
Teamwork oriented
14
Results driven culture
13
High accountability
10
Challenging
9
NOTE. Multiple responses were accepted.
Employee/people oriented
6
Open communication
5
Collegial
4
Supportive/caring
3
Collaborative
3
%
56
52
40
36
24
20
16
12
12
NOTE. Multiple responses were accepted.
environment have helped them to succeed. Table
3 shows the workplace culture characteristics that
were mentioned by the study participants that
helped them to succeed. The nine work
environment and culture characteristics most
frequently
mentioned
by were
the participants
included
Note. Multiple
responses
accepted.
the following: teamwork-oriented, 14 (56%);
results driven culture, 13 (52%); high
accountability, 10 (40%); challenging, 9 (36%);
employee or people oriented, 6 (24%); open
communication, 5 (20%); collegial, 4 (16%);
supportive or caring, 3 (12%); and collaborative,
3 (12%).
The participants who cited the collaborative
and teamwork-oriented aspect of their workplace
culture and environment indicated that working
together on projects and building close
relationships with colleagues benefited them the
most in their career development. One study
participant commented, “The fact that we are
very collaborative and team focused means that
you don‖t compete with people that you work with
for promotions. As a result, you end up helping
each other succeed.”
The study participants who identified the
supportive or caring aspect of their workplace
culture and environment as helping them succeed
indicated that having support from senior
management as well as colleagues helped them do
so. The participants who cited the employee or
people-oriented aspect of their workplace culture
indicated that the part of the culture that provided
them with training and development programs,
resources, mentoring, and challenging work
opportunities benefited them the most in their
33
career development. These participants said that
their companies had given them the opportunity
to obtain a wide variety of work experiences that
had been very valuable to their career
development. A study participant said this about
her company‖s workplace environment and
culture:
My company provides strong support to
its employees. Whether it‖s a personal or
professional challenge, there are a
number of people within the organization
to help and support you. For example,
when I took my assignment in Europe, I
knew that if for some reason things didn‖t
work out for me there, my company
would provide me with the help I needed
or bring me back. They encouraged me
to take risks, but I knew they would be
there for me if that risk turned out to be
nonsuccessful [sic].
The study participants who identified the
results-driven aspect of their workplace culture
and environment as helping them succeed
indicated that the results-driven culture was good
for them because it provided the force they
needed to stay challenged and motivated. In
addition, the high-accountability aspect of their
work environment assisted in their production of
high quality work, getting results, being
accountable, and in striving to be consistently
outstanding in their work.
Several of the participants indicated that their
workplace environments relied on open, honest
communication and the sharing of knowledge and
information in all directions. They further
specified that the interactions among employees
were based on honesty, mutual respect, and
integrity.
Research Question Four: Satisfaction
with Career Development
Study participants were asked if they had
progressed as rapidly as they thought they should.
Eighteen (72%) of the study participants indicated
that they had not progressed as rapidly as they
thought they should. Seven (28%) of the
34
Wentling & Thomas
Table 4. Reasons Study Participants Gave for Not Progressing as Rapidly
as They Think They Should (n= 18)
Reason
f
Male-dominated company and/or job area
14
Gender discrimination
13
Difficulty conforming to company norms
10
Company did not encourage, support, or develop women
for top level positions
9
Treated as an outsider
8
Excluded from high-level decision-making within company
8
Personal circumstances
7
Racism/sexism
5
Constraining economy
3
Males in company having a high level of discomfort working with
females
3
NOTE. Multiple responses were accepted.
participants indicated that they had progressed as
rapidly as they thought they should. Table 4
shows the various reasons given by the study
participants for not progressing as rapidly as they
thought they should. The six most frequent
reasons given by the participants included the
following: male-dominated company and/or job
area, 14 (77%); gender discrimination, 13
(72%); difficulty conforming to company norms,
10 (55%); company did not encourage, support,
or develop women for top level positions, 9
(50%); treated as an outsider, 8 (44%); and
excluded from high level decision making within
Note. Multiple responses were accepted.
company, 8 (44%).
One study participant who stated she had not
progressed as rapidly as she thought she should
had this to say:
When I first became a R&D [research
and development] manager, I was the
only female R&D manager and when we
had our annual meetings, there were 48
men and me. Many times they treated
me like an outsider and I often was
excluded from high level decision making
within the company. Other intangible
forms of exclusion were also employed.
Another study participant described her
experience:
%
77
72
55
50
44
44
38
28
17
17
I was the first African
American woman in the history
of the company to obtain a
director‖s position, and I am
the only Black person out of a
120 member unit, which is
mostly White males. There is
a very high level of discomfort
for those [White] males who
work with me. My
performance is stellar;
however, because I am Black
and a female it creates a
feeling of discomfort for the
males in my workplace.
The participants noted that
dealing with politics in the organization hindered
their career development. In many instances, the
study participants believed they had difficulty
conforming to company norms, fitting in, adapting
to the organization‖s culture, and knowing whom
to approach for support. Several of the
participants encountered problems in determining
the organization‖s informal power structure,
primarily because established political systems
and networks were composed of men and were
sometimes not available to women.
The study participants also indicated that
gender discrimination was a major challenge in
their careers. Several of the participants believed
that because they were women, they had
advanced more slowly, were not given promotions
that they deserved, had to work harder to prove
themselves, were not taken seriously or were
treated with less respect, or were banned from
international job assignments. One participant
said the following about one of her female coworkers:
From the moment she was hired they
[male co-workers] did not accept her.
They would sort of laugh at her and not
give her any credibility or respect for her
designs. They couldn‖t wait to get in
there and redesign what she had done
because they didn‖t believe it would work
right. They believed because she was a
woman she didn‖t know anything about
Workplace Learning Culture That Hinders and Assists Career Development
engineering and therefore, they felt she
could not produce a high quality design
that would work right.
Several of the participants described working
for bosses who had difficulties dealing with
women, or did not believe in the development or
advancement of women. The participants
indicated that the gender discrimination was often
very subtle in form. For example, they were often
excluded from meetings to which all male peers
were invited, or the women were not invited to
play golf. These participants were often unable to
participate in valuable informal business
discussions. Being excluded and not having
access to valuable inside information often
hindered advancement opportunities. A study
participant shared her encounter with this kind of
discrimination:
I didn‖t take legal action, but I would
describe it as a hostile work environment.
I had a large group of colleagues, all
men, the majority of them based outside
of the United States. They had a favorite
successor to this gentleman that I
replaced, someone who worked on my
staff, and they were very loyal to him; he
was one of the good old boys. Most of
them had wanted him to take the job, and
I don‖t think that I was welcome from the
very beginning. They would do all kinds
of awful things to me. They were very
unhappy that the company had decided
to go outside, first of all, much less go
outside to bring a woman. And they
didn‖t make it very pleasant for me while
I was there.
Study participants were asked how satisfied
they were with their careers. The following scale
was used: (1) very satisfied, (2) satisfied, (3)
neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, (4) dissatisfied,
(5) very dissatisfied. Twenty-one (84%) of the
participants indicated being very satisfied, 3
(12%) indicated being satisfied, and 1 (4%)
indicated being dissatisfied. Table 5 shows the
various reasons given by the study participants for
35
being satisfied with their careers. The six most
frequent reasons given by the participants for
being satisfied and liking their careers included:
constantly learning new things, 14 (58%);
continuously being challenged, 13 (54%);
continuously changing, 12 (50%); making
valuable contributions to business and society, 11
(46%); having control over change and getting
things accomplished, 10 (42%); and having the
opportunity to work in many different areas of
business, 10 (42%). One study participant
described her satisfaction with her career saying:
IT is an exciting field that is changing all
the time. It‖s constantly changing how
people work and live, and it allows you to
connect with people you never thought
you could connect with. It breaks down
regional, country and language barriers. I
love technology because it has a positive
impact on business, communities and the
world in general.
Table 5. Reasons Study Participants Gave for Being
Satisfied and Liking Their Careers (n= 24)
Reason
Constantly learning new things
Continuously being challenged
Continuously changing
Make valuable contributions to business
and society
Have control over change and getting
things accomplished
Opportunity to work in many different
areas of business
Intellectually stimulating
Continuously growing and advancing
Financially rewarding
Assist in the professional development and
growth of people
Part of the company‖s decision-making
process
Work with very talented people
Have great opportunities to use my
expertise
Powerful, prestigious, influential position
Positive recognition/exposure
Make a difference in others‖ lives
Exciting/interesting/fun work
Great work environment
NOTE. Multiple responses were accepted.
f
14
13
12
%
58
54
50
11
46
10
42
10
9
8
8
42
38
33
33
8
33
7
6
29
25
6
5
5
4
2
2
25
21
21
17
8
8
36
Wentling & Thomas
Another study participant stated:
I have a prestigious and influential
position within my company. I have many
opportunities to work with some very
talented people and make major
contributions within my company and
society in general. In addition, my
position allows me to live very well
financially.
Still another study participant said:
The company I work for, the talented
people I work with, and the information
technology field makes my current job
very interesting and exciting. The top
management of the company recognizes
that IT plays a key role in helping the
company be successful. In addition, the
fact that the IT field is constantly
changing and can actually make the
world a better place makes it fascinating.
Additionally, another participant declared:
I enjoy working with all the different
processes, organizations and departments
in the company. Information technology
touches every individual from the
individuals using the PCs to get their job
done to the bigger applications that we
provide to automate major corporate
processes. It‖s exciting and a great
opportunity to be able to make IT
operations come together and more
efficient.
The study participant who said she was
dissatisfied with her career stated she was not
satisfied with her career due to lack of
recognition, opportunity, and timely career
advancement.
Discussion
There were workplace culture and environment
factors that played a negative role in the career
development of the women in this study. The
male-dominated good old boy culture aspect of
their workplace culture and environment made it
difficult for them to feel accepted. Many times
they felt like outsiders, and sometimes this feeling
had an impact on their self-confidence. Study
participants also indicated that the large number
of males in the organization made it difficult for
the females, especially those with families, to get
sympathy for their particular challenges. They
reported being excluded from high level decision
making and not being encouraged, supported, or
developed for top level positions. Furthermore,
they reported that intimidation by male colleagues
sometimes created problems and friction that
hindered them. Several previous studies have
found the IT workplace environment as male
dominated and not welcoming to women (Bartol &
Aspray, 2006; Riemenschneider et al., 2006; von
Hellens, Nielsen, & Trauth, 2001; Woodfield,
2002). According to Tapia and Kvasny (2004),
within the traditional male-dominated IT culture a
strong value is placed on individualism, which
impedes the creation of mentoring networks and a
supportive environment for female IT employees.
In addition, they stated that White males have
traditionally held the highest ranking and the most
privileged positions in IT, and they find it difficult
to relate to their female employees. There is
evidence in the literature that women have been
the object of gender discrimination, which could
translate into fewer rewards, fewer resources, and
fewer opportunities (Kanter, 1993; Wentling,
1997). Gender discrimination may result in fewer
promotions, but could also lower feelings of
acceptance and limit chances to obtain social
support from superiors and peers (Ilgen & Youtz,
1996; Wentling, 2003). Melymuka (2002)
further states:
The roots of gender discrimination are built
into a plethora of work practices, cultural
norms, and images that appear unbiased,
such as definitions of competence and
commitment and leadership. People don‖t
even notice them, let alone question them.
But they create a subtle pattern of
disadvantage that blocks all women (p. 53).
Workplace Learning Culture That Hinders and Assists Career Development
From the literature and the results of this study, it
seems that gender differences embedded in the
IT workplace culture negatively affect the career
development of women.
Conversely, the workplace culture and
environment played a positive role in the career
development of the women in this study. The
employee-oriented aspect of their workplace
culture and environment that provided them with
training and development programs, resources,
mentoring, and challenging work opportunities
had a positive affect on their career development.
In addition, the collaborative and teamworkoriented aspect of their workplace environment,
working together on projects and building close
relationships with colleagues, benefited the study
participants in their career development. Several
studies confirm the important role that workplace
culture plays in the development and
advancement of women in IT (Bartol & Aspray,
2006; Igbaria & Greenhaus, 1992; Igbaria &
Guimaraes, 1999; Trauth, Quesenberry, & Yeo,
2008; Wardell et al., 2005). Although several
authors have proposed organizational practices
that enhance effectiveness in organizations and
retain talented IT employees (Arnett & Obert,
1995; Dessler, 1999; ITAA, 2003, 2005;
Lawler, 1996; Pfeffer & Veiga, 1999), these
practices are sometimes narrowly focused and
often more likely to relate to male IT workers. For
example, Lawler (1996) suggests four
organizational processes that may influence workrelated attitudes and behaviors, namely,
information sharing, empowerment, competence
development, and rewards. However, some
studies have shown that reward is a complex
process that may not be fully understood without
taking into account the underlying dimensions of
gender, procedural, and recognition aspects
(Milkovich, 1998; Sheppard, Lewicki, & Minton,
1992; Sumner & Niederman, 2002). Some
literature suggests that work-family conflict,
gender discrimination, difficulty with self-esteem,
and other personal factors are critical challenges
for women in IT in organizations, causing an
impact on women‖s attitudes and work behavior
(Bartol & Aspray, 2006; Chiu & Ng, 1999;
Frenkel, 1999; Hemenway, 1995).
37
The majority of the study participants
indicated that they have not progressed as rapidly
as they think they should have in their careers.
Some of the reasons they gave for not progressing
as rapidly as they thought they should included
working in a male-dominated company or job
area, gender discrimination, difficulty conforming
to company norms, and being treated as an
outsider. Even though the majority of the study
participants felt they had not progressed as
rapidly as they thought they should in their
careers, they were very satisfied with their career
development. Hsu, Chen, Jiang, and Klein (2003)
state that there is a general agreement that
organizations that satisfy employees‖ work and life
needs tend to have higher levels of career
satisfaction and lower levels of turnover intent.
Furthermore, Igaria, Greenhaus, and
Parasuraman (1997) reported that employees
whose career anchors, self-perceptions that
influence an individual‖s career choice, are
compatible with their jobs have higher career
satisfaction levels and lower intentions to leave an
organization than those who report incompatible
career anchors with their jobs. On the other hand,
if there is not a fit between career anchors and
workplace environment, then job dissatisfaction
and turnover are more likely to result (Jiang &
Klein, 2000). The women in this study have
satisfying careers in IT and enjoy the work they
do. They enjoy constantly learning new things,
continuously being challenged, making valuable
contributions to business and society, and the
opportunity to work in many different areas of
business. The women in this study provide a
contrast to those identified in a two year research
study by the American Association of University
Women (AAUW, 2000) that found the vast
majority of girls and women had a negative view
of IT.
Organizations have the opportunity to play a
key role in the career development of women in
IT. Organizations can create workplace
environments where women have the opportunity
to advance, receive equal treatment and access to
information and opportunities, remove barriers
such as the glass ceiling that might hinder their
development, and provide support through role
models and mentors in the work environment.
38
Additionally, the challenge of balancing work and
family produces barriers for women in IT. The
demands of work coupled with the demands of
family can become problematic for some women
as they seek creative ways to continue maintaining
their family structure and contend with the
increasing demands and pressures arising from
their work. Initiatives that can be addressed by
companies include providing work-life balance
programs such as flexible work schedules,
daycare centers, and family leave, establishing
support or networking groups, determining how to
attract more women into IT, removing glass
ceiling barriers, providing training and
development programs, and providing mentoring
programs.
Jepson and Perl (2002) discovered that the
implementation of mentoring programs was
important for young females and women in IT.
Townsend (2002) discusses the pros and cons of
mentoring in their research, noting, “It‖s an
opportunity to work closely with and learn from
highly talented and committed individuals…” (p.
57). Gabbert and Meeker (2002) emphasize the
need for support communities for women in IT as
women are becoming more underrepresented in
the field. Support communities vary, but their
general purpose is to provide support,
networking, and recognition to women in the field
of computer science and IT, according to Gabbert
and Meeker (2002). By providing a nurturing
work environment an organization can offset
internalized out group status and provide a truly
diverse workplace environment that values and
benefits from gender differences.
It should be noted that this study is subject to
some limitations. The sample was small and the
information gathered in this study included no
comparison group, so there is no way of knowing
how these experiences compare with those of
women from different subgroups, such as chief
information officer vs. computer analyst, women
who left or never entered IT, or of men in IT.
This study extends the women in IT literature
and provides valuable insights into their
workplace culture. Due to the current skill
shortage that the IT industry is facing, along with
the diversification of IT occupations, there are
excellent opportunities for women to enter the IT
Wentling & Thomas
sector. However, if organizations want to attract
and retain talented women in their IT workforce,
they must have an understanding of the personal
and workplace environment factors that affect
women‖s career development in IT. The
acceptance of women in IT as permanent and
valuable is a necessary first step to unlocking their
full potential. Once organizations recognize that
women are in the workforce to stay, the value of
investing in their development will be self-evident;
then it will only be a question of how quickly the
obstacles to their growth can be removed in order
to further their upward mobility and increase their
productivity. Organizations have it in their power
to profit from women‖s motivations and
aspirations. They can create a climate where men
and women can communicate freely and with ease
and reward the aggressiveness and
competitiveness in women and men equally.
Ultimately, organizations will discover that the
time spent on these efforts will be a worthwhile
investment. In addition, it is imperative that IT
educators at universities build a comprehensive,
well-grounded body of research and instruction
related to workplace culture and its impact on
women‖s careers in the IT field. University
educators have the opportunity to influence both
women and men at various stages in their IT
careers through their ongoing educational
endeavors. Therefore, educators should make it a
priority to build a body of knowledge in this area
that will assist in providing a solid foundation
upon which to base future education and training
related to workplace culture in IT. These efforts
need to be directed particularly at changing the
nature and perceptions of IT from that of a maledominated one to one-for-all IT workers, with
opportunities for everyone to contribute and reach
their full potential.
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